Coupler



April 24, 1928. 1,667,557

- H. LUFT COUPLER Filed OCT,- 28. 1927 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.,

19ans lfi.

Parental Apr. 24, 192s.

' UNITED-STATES HANS LUFT, 0F PROVIDENCE', RHODE IsLANn.

COUPLER.

- Application' med october 2s, 1927. serial No. 229.318..y

My catch hook or coupler 'is intended for detachably connecting the-bailof a watch with t-he end of a wrist band, bracelet,or other wristembracing band.. Y

An object of my invention 1s' .to 'aiiordian' attaching member that willautomatically adapt itself toa watch bail of any Width so that the'Vwrist encircling member to which my device is attached may be soldindependently of the watch. n. j

A. further object is .to lock my coupler upon the bail so securely as toprevent accidental escape from the latter. )f l VAn addedobject is4 toenable the 'Formaf tion ofthe coupler from metal blanks and without theuse of solder. y -Further objects vare inexpensiveness ofconstruction,strength, and simplicity.

y invention consists in such ,parts and in suolik combinations of partsas fallk within the scope of. the appended claims. D y

In the accon'ipanying drawings which form a part of this specificationFigure 1 is a front elevation of my coupler embodiedL inl a watchbracelet, parts being shown broken away, U

Figures 2 and 3, reduced plan views of the blanksfrom which my device isformed,

Figure 4, a front perspective view of the coupler, f

` Figure 5, an end-view of the same,

Figure 6, a rear `elevation of the'coupler,

showing aportion of therearv wall broken away, y l y y Figure .7, alsection `taken lon line.7.-f-f7 of Figure 4, f

' Figure 8, a section yon line 8-8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9, a -detail perspective view` of one of the hook members. f

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In thedrawings v1() represents a wrist watch provided with the usual endbails 11, one only of Which is herein shown. The bail comprises the bar12and end arms 13.

The body of my coupler'is bent up into a box from a single blank of thinsheet metal of the form shown in Figure 2 whereinthe central portions 17and 18 ultimately form the front and rear wall respectively of the body,While the lateral wings 19 are the ultimate side walls thereof. Thespaced forwardly directedv extensions V20 upon the wings 19 wheninwardlybent constitute the Jfront end wall of the body. TheWebporportions 17 and 18- constitutes, ater'Abending, the rear lend wallof the body. The lateral lugs ,22 upon the wings 19 are ulti-v vtion 21yofthe blank connecting the central i mately bent over therear wall 18to lock the latter against thewall 20. The end wall 20 is shorter thanthe side walls consequently forming` adjacent the front end wall amarginal slot 24 communicating with longitudif` nal slots 25 extendingpartiallyinto Vthe side walls 19.l f. In this instance thel wall 21 hasY Y end openings 26, andthe walls 19 have neary their ends holes 27. Therfront and back walls are in this instance slightly inclined relativelyto eachother.

Riveted or otherwise fixed .in an linterme- .V

diate portion of the side walls is` ak transversely disposed rod 28 uponwhich are mounted two attaching members represented generally by 30 ofsimilar construction, each bent up fromthe blank shown in Figure 3. Indetail, as shown in FigureV 9,:each memf bercomprises aflat armv 3l,integral with whose `upper forward edge. isv ahook com? prising a flatlaterally,bentandvextended Aforwardly projecting broadA shank 32,ydissprin 40 surrounding the rod withy its ends Y abuttingv against` thearms.. Theportions 32 of the members 30 extend through theguide slots 25and 24 which assist in maintaming the arms 31 at right angles to thepivot rod A 28 and thus prevent cramping or bending when the arms movethereover.

To engage myV coupler with a bail, the

members '30 are compressed by the opera-l tors thumb and fingersulici'ently to admit the beak portions thereof to pass loosely throughthe bail from frontto back, whereupon thespring 4() forces the outeredges of the beak portions v34:' against the legs 13 of the bail, andthe beaks overlap theA rod 12. Thus the members 30 are certain tocontact with `the legs 11, regardless of the dimension of the particularloop engaged. It

will be noted that wheny the members 30 are engaged as described, thetongues 36 underlie thel loop portions 13, and thus still further insurethe members 30 against 4accidental disengagement from the bail. Thecasing, and attaching members being formed by merely bending the stampedblanksy shown in Figures 2 and 3 is inexpensive and avoids the use ofsolder.

My coupler may be secured to both ends of any type of bracelet band orchain, and in any convenient manner. As herein illus trated the bandAconsists of a series of connected box links 42 housing slidable yokeshaped links 44 whose legs 45 pass through openings 46 in the front endwalls, and through openings 26 in the end Wall 2l' of the coupler andhave lateral pins 48 on their ends pivoted in holes 27 in the adjacentlink or coupler. The links are tensioned by spring O'within the links42.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes` to which thedevice is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only bythe terms of the appended claims.

I claim v 1. In a coupler of the typeset forth, a casing provided with aslot in its end and sides, a. rod fixed .in thc sides of the casino',spaced attaching members comprising flat arms provided with perforationsto loosely receive the rod, broad laterally extended forwardlyprojecting hooks in'teg1'al"with the armsextending through the slots,and a spring in the casing for distending the at*- taching members.

2. ln a coupler of the type set forth, a casingy provided with a slot, aguide rod mounted inV an intermediate portion of the casing, attachingmembers spaced from each other comprising arms slidably mounted on I therod, and hooks upon thearms projecting through the slot, lateral tonguesupon Athe ends of the hooks, and a spring inthe easing between theattaching members abutting against the arms.

8. In a coupler of the type set forth, a casing comprising a front, aback, a forwardr end provided with a slot, a rear end provided. withspaced, openings, sides provided wi'th holes adjacent the openings, linkmembers extending'into the casing through the openings, pivot pins onthe link members'in the holes, a rod fixed in the sides, attachingmembers spaced from Aeach other slidable upon the rod and extendingthrough the slot, and a spring surrounding the` rod engaging theattaching members.

4. ln a coupler of the type set forth, a casing formed from ak singlesheet metal blank comprising a front wall, a rear Wall connectedfby anend Wall, wings integral with the front: wall constituting side walls,extensions on the forward ends of the side walls inwardly foldedconstituting asecond end wallspaced from the first end, wall, andlateral locking lugs uponthe side walls embracing the rear wall,atransverse rod fixed in the side' walls, attaching members each formed`from a metal blank by bending comprising a llat arm portion providedwith a perforation. in one end adapted to receive the rod, a laterallyand forwardly broad* cned extending hook shaped portion disposed atrightangles to the arm, andv a lateraltongue integral with the hook shapedportion and a. spring in the casing abutting against the arm portions ofthe attaching'v members.

5. ln a coupler ofthe type set: forth, the combination with a wristbandv and a watch bail comprising a bar and arms, of a casing attachedat one end to the strap and pro-` vided at its opposite end with a slot,a transverse rod fixed in the casing parallel with the slot, attachingmembers slidably mounted on therod projecting throughthe slot andloosely engaging the bar, and resilient means in the asing for laterallydistending the attaching members into contact with the arms. f

In testimony whereof lI' have aliixedmy signature.

' HANS LUET..

